Speaker
Description
The recent rise in women's sport in Mexico evinces a historic debt with women athletes, especially during the first half of the 20th century. Current research aims to make visible women’s sports history, as well as public or private institutions, or social-political process that encouraged, or discouraged women’s sport practices. Sports literature in Mexico is vast, especially that related to soccer, male sports, and those taking place in Mexico City. The literature suggests three main sources for the Mexican Sport's practice: 1) the European immigrant influence, mining industry and/or railroad expansion in the 20th century beginning; 2) immigrants social-sporting clubs foundation, or upper class, in urbanized cities; and 3) the introduction of physical education in public schools during the postrevolutionary years. These stages are not a process, since they do not happen in the same way, or at the same time throughout the whole country. Suggesting a Mexico’s sports history through these three stages sheds light about women situation and their relationship with sports through their national, regional, or local social and political contexts. This research describes the origins of women sport in Torreon, Coahuila through the four stages (1922-1950), focusing on physical education introduction in public or private local schools, and/or physical-sporting activities in sporting clubs. It intends to analyze, diagnose, and problematize these women in Torreon sports through local press, particularly El Siglo de Torreon. The present research allows to make visible women sport's history and contributes to the local historical memory.
